


Songs of Innocence, Light in his Eyes

by vans0nhead717



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alive L (Death Note), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Yagami Light Is Not Kira (Death Note), Awkward Flirting, Awkward Kissing, Awkward Romance, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual L/Yagami Light, Eventual Romance, F/M, First Kiss, Good Yagami Light, L Needs a Hug (Death Note), L is a Little Shit (Death Note), L is not going to die, M/M, Nervousness, Other, Plot Twists, Self-Esteem Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-24
Packaged: 2021-03-24 16:00:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30074697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vans0nhead717/pseuds/vans0nhead717
Summary: Light Yagami is not Kira, and L is sure of that. Their friendship is genuine, the only solace they have in their boring miserable lives.But why does everyone else seem so convinced that he is?Can Light handle being falsely accused?And the bigger question: Can L handle it?
Relationships: L/Yagami Light
Comments: 16
Kudos: 52





	1. Bitter Truths and Sweet Tooths

**Author's Note:**

> Light Yagami isn’t Kira - he’s just wildly unlucky. Wherein the original Death Note has the evidence slowly building in Light’s favor and L’s instincts telling him that Light is Kira, in this, L’s instincts make him sure that Light ISN’T Kira, but the odds begin to stack against him.
> 
> But that begs the question, who is actually Kira?

Light looked down at the photos in front of him - all written by Kira’s victims - and frowned.

“There must be another note - possibly more than one,” Light remarked.

L’s brows raised slightly.

“Unless the print numbers are wrong, there  _ has  _ to be another,” Light insisted, “And I can’t imagine you’re so careless as to mess up something so important.”

L gave a light smirk and took the photographs back. “That’s not what I had hoped to hear.”

“I don’t understand,” Light mumbled, quickly swallowing the small piece of cake that L had offered him. “Do you think that I’m Kira, or not?”

“I don’t,” L told him, “I genuinely don’t, and what you just told me has only made me  _ more  _ sure of that. And my instincts have never been wrong before. But what few pieces of evidence we have… they point to you.”

Light frowned to himself. “So you’re disappointed that you don’t think I’m Kira?”

L gave a reluctant nod. “It would be much more simple for me if you gave me any indication that you were Kira. But you aren’t doing that. In fact, I’m believing more and more each time we speak that you  _ aren’t  _ Kira.”

Light’s head jerked to the side slightly, before he bit his cheek. “Alright.”

That surprised L, and his eyes narrowed as he asked, “What does that mean?”

“Attempting to prove that I’m  _ not  _ Kira would serve no purpose,” Light explained, twirling his fork between his fingers. “Because the reality is, I’m not, so further involving myself could only serve to put me in more situations that could cast suspicion on me, or put my life in danger, or both.”

L raised his brows.  _ Now it’s down to nine percent,  _ he thought. “You aren’t wrong.”

“But that raises another question,” Light said quietly, a note of sadness coloring his expression.

L frowned. “And that is?”

Light hesitated for a moment before reluctantly asking, “Do we have to stop being friends?”

“I don’t understand.”

Light stared at the chunk of cake on his fork. “I mean,” he murmured, “I would prefer not to be your friend in any capacity that involves the Kira investigation. But that’s why you sought me out, so I would understand if you didn’t see any need for me anymore.”

“But?” L asked.

“But,” Light continued, “I actually enjoy spending time with you. I don’t feel like I have to pretend to be somebody else, and you’re actually an equal to me. You may be the only true friend I’ve ever had.”

_ Seven percent now,  _ L thought.  _ No, more like six. _ “Honestly, I can’t pretend I feel any different,” he said, his expression betraying the emotion he so desperately fought to hide.

“But if we’re going to be friends for real,” he muttered, “You can’t keep calling me Ryuga.”

“Why?” Light asked. “Because it’s your cover?”

L shook his head. “No, I just find it incredibly repellant.”

“So what should I call you?”

“L, obviously,” he replied. “That’s who I really am, why pretend otherwise?”

Light chuckled softly and bit into a small slice of cake. “That definitely fits you much better.”

L raised his hand and gave a small wave. A waiter ran over and collected their empty dishes, promising to return immediately with more food, leaving only the remainders of L’s cake for them to split.

“Definitely not gonna be anytime soon,” L groaned as he rolled his eyes. 

He returned his attention to Light and began mindlessly tapping his fingers on the table. “I swear,” he muttered, “I’m one disappointment with this diner away from buying the damn place and hiring my own wait staff.”

“I already like hanging out with you plenty,” Light said, “And now you’re telling me you have money as well?”

“Would it make you like me more? If I told you I happened to be rich?” L joked.

Light giggled, swallowing before bursting into another fit of laughter and choking on the piece of cake. Light began grabbing at his throat, “F-fuc-k ch-ch-choking L, he-help!” he gasped.

L’s eyes widened and he stood up in the booth, jumped over the table and positioned himself next to Light. He gave Light’s back three forceful blows, as the brunette coughed and spit out the chunk of cake. 

Light’s eyes watered as he caught his breath and L relaxed into the booth beside him. 

“God,” he sighed. “Thanks. For not letting me die.”

L laughed before he caught a glimpse of some cake stuck to Light’s lip. His cheeks flushed a soft pink. “Uh, Light? You got a little…”

Light reached up and brushed his face off unsuccessfully, earning an eye roll from L as he wiped the small chunk of cake from Light’s lip with his thumb.

Light chuckled lightly, before L picked up a fork and stabbed the small bite of smushed cake, gobbling it down with a satisfied sigh. “Damn that’s good,” he muttered. 

“You’re quite odd, you know that?” Light teased.

L frowned before Light quickly corrected himself. “It’s a good thing, I promise.”

That earned a slight grin from L. “God forbid I have a sugar tooth.”

“I wasn’t referring to that,” Light whispered, taking a short sip from the coffee mug in his hands.

\---

Light jumped into the air, swinging his racket down against the tennis ball and sending it flying towards L before landing on his feet with a smirk.

In a move almost inhuman in it’s speed and decisiveness, L jumped and propelled his body through the air. He pushed his racket against the incoming ball with all of his force, before shoving his legs forward and under his body so he landed on his feet.

The ball flew past Light as he fell to the ground with a thud, his sad attempt at deflecting the ball failing horribly.

“What the hell?” Light yelled, “You’re an acrobat now as well?”

“I’ve had some training,” L replied, walking over to Light and pulling him to his feet.

Light rolled his eyes. “Why am I not surprised?” L nodded and gave a light chuckle before Light murmured, “I’ll admit, you definitely have the proper build for acrobatics.”

“I don’t know if I should be flattered or insulted.”

Light blushed. “It was a compliment.”

L’s eyes narrowed slightly. “It’s odd though. You made no attempt to hide that you’re a sore loser…”

“So?” Light asked.

“So,” L continued, “The more time I spend with you, the less I believe you’re guilty of anything other than a bit of temper and bad timing.”

They were walking around the side of the building, and L swung around and shoved Light against the cracked faded brick wall as he hissed, “But that makes me wonder,  _ what is your game here?” _

Light frowned, more in confusion than anything else. “My game? Is it so hard for you to believe I actually want to be your friend without an ulterior motive?”

“It’s hard for me to believe  _ anyone  _ would want to be my friend without an ulterior motive.”

Light’s bewilderment cleared away with recognition, and a wave of sadness washed over him. He bit the inside of his cheek and looked sadly at the taller boy in front of him.

And L was a boy, no doubt. Barely twenty-four, and his quiet demeanor was masking a child, a sad child at that. Lonely, beyond Light’s comprehension.

Against his better judgement, he threw his arms around L’s neck and squeezed him close. 

L’s breath caught in his throat. “Wh-what is that for?”

“I want to be your friend,” Light murmured, “and I hope one day you can believe that.”

\---

L looked around Light’s room in surprise, claiming Light’s desk chair for himself and awkwardly positioning himself on it. “It’s smaller looking than it was on camera,” he remarked.

Light chuckled. “I knew it,” he said, falling onto his bed with a flop. “I knew you had cameras in here. How long?”

“Three days.”

Light raised his eyebrows. “That’s a surprise. I found at least two of them, but after that I just left them alone. I figured you’d keep them around longer than that.”

L quickly shook his head and began mindlessly spinning a ballpoint pen he plucked from Light’s desk. “Honestly, it was a desperate move. I was pretty against it, which is why I had them removed so early.”

“You were against it? I would have assumed it was your idea.”

“It was,” L replied, “But that doesn't mean I didn’t hate the idea.”

“Fair,” Light said, “I will say, I didn’t take you for a voyeur when we met.”

A bright pink blush creeped onto L’s face, but he remained deadpan. “By the way, I’d appreciate it if your father didn’t find out I was here. I just have a feeling he wouldn’t… get it. I don’t think he’s considered the possibility of us being friends outside of my investigation, so he’d probably see it as an invasion of privacy.”

“I won’t tell my father,” Light assured him, “Although I can’t imagine when I’d get the chance.”

“You don’t speak much?”

Light looked sadly towards the sliding glass door of his balcony. “We never did, even before the Kira case. Honestly, I’m grateful to Kira. This case made me realize I  _ never  _ want to become a detective.”

L frowned. “I wouldn’t wish a life like that on anyone, much less you. You could do much better with your intelligence. And you deserve a better life than that.”

Light’s voice cracked when he said, “Can I ask you something?” L nodded before Light sat up and quietly asked, “Does my father.... does he really think it’s me?”

“No,” L told him, “But I won’t deny that he has… doubts.”

“Doubts?”

L’s emotionless facade fell away. “His faith in you, as well as his instincts, waver a bit. And his faith in my instincts is much less strong, so my assurances that you  _ aren’t  _ Kira...”

“Mean jack shit to him,” Light muttered.

“No,” L insisted, “That’s not true. But he’s a detective, an old school detective. He only cares about evidence.”

Light shook his head. “I don’t accept that,” he said quietly, looking down at his lap. “Because I wouldn’t even  _ consider  _ the idea that he’d do something like that.”

“Is that a good thing?”

Light raised his head slowly. “What does that mean?”

L shrugged. “Your faith in people… I think it might be weakening you. I don’t think you’re the killer. But  _ somebody  _ with your father’s access to the police’s information is associated with Kira - unless it’s someone even higher up - but at the  _ very _ least, they’re supplying Kira with information.”

L frowned slightly. “I wouldn’t be surprised if that person was Kira themselves.”

“But then who -” Light broke off abruptly, his confusion washing away in a mix of realization and horror. “Wait.”

L simply sat silently, his typical deadpan expression returning.

“Tell me you aren’t implying what I think you are,” Light said softly. “Please tell me that the thought I just had has  _ never  _ occurred to you, and that I’m just crazy.”

L didn’t speak, simply raising his head. His lips pulled down at either side and he suddenly found himself unable to speak.

Light’s jaw dropped, and he couldn’t gather his thoughts for a moment, unable to verbalize the hundreds of objections and questions that came to his mind.

“You actually think that my father could be Kira?”

L gave a small noncommittal jerk of his head. A combination of anger and confusion and  _ fear  _ consumed Light, and he didn’t even realize he was standing and moving towards L until his hand came down hard on L’s cheek with a loud  _ smack! _

“Get out,” Light growled, pointing towards his door. “Get out  _ right fucking now _ .”

A red mark was quickly forming on L’s cheek, but he wordlessly stood and walked over to the door, brushing away the tears that pooled under his eyes and threatened to betray his calm facade.

Light fell to his knees as the door quietly shut behind L.

“Father…”

\---

The soft features on her face faded as she pulled her door closed and turned the lock, allowing the falsified warm expression that made her so very much  _ her  _ to simply fall away _.  _

“Ryuk,” she muttered, “I have a question.”

His large cracked lips turned up at either side. “Yes?”

“Would you know if  _ anybody else  _ on Earth knows about the Notebook?”

“No,” he replied.

She paused for a moment. “You wouldn’t tell me either way, would you?”

“No,” he cackled, “No I would not.”

She flipped open the cover of the black notebook on her desk and grabbed a pen, resting her wrist on the corner of the page. 

“It’s a shame he’ll have to take the fall for this,” she said softly, “But I don’t suppose I have a choice.”

“I don’t understand why you can’t frame somebody else,” Ryuk said, taking a bite from the large apple she tossed to him. “I mean, I don’t care for him either way. But if you do, why do you have to frame  _ him?” _

“Because he’s a believable culprit,” she explained. “He’s smart enough to pull it off, and even if he wanted to, he couldn’t hide his genius well enough for people not to pick up on his intelligence.” 

Her hand flew over the page as she copied down names. “And besides, he’s the perfect scapegoat. Kira got information from the police somehow, right?”

“It is a bit cruel though,” Ryuk remarked. “And your entire thing is purging the world of evil and cruelty.”

She gave a light chuckle. “Ryuk, you really  _ don’t  _ understand human relationships. He mattered - yes, mattered - to me. But I don’t need Light anymore.” She lifted the notebook above her head. “I have  _ this!” _


	2. the cake and the sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L and Light reconcile, and then eat cake.
> 
> Kira has a plan to meet the copycat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who Kira is.... 
> 
> you already probably know tbh

Light fidgeted with his hands, tapping his fingers on the diner’s aged shiny wood table and twiddling his thumbs in his lap. L was sitting across from him, dead silent with an expectant look on his face.

It took Light a moment to gather his thoughts. “I’m sorry that I slapped you.”

L furrowed his brows, and then laughed. “Understandable considering the circumstances,” he replied, slowly standing and walking over to Light. “But no matter the reason, an eye for an eye.”

L raised his hand and smacked Light across the face, before smiling and sitting back down across from him. He continued mindlessly sipping his coffee, as Light gently rubbed his cheek.

“I understand,” Light said softly, “But I gotta say, being bitch-slapped really sucks.”

“Imagine how I feel.”

Light raised his eyebrows quizzically. “Fair enough.”

He grabbed his fork and stabbed a small chunk of the large cake in front of them, quickly eating it and returning his attention to L. “I won’t pretend I wasn’t angry the other day, but I also won’t pretend you’re entirely wrong.”

L’s eyes narrowed. “Meaning?”

“My faith in people is my weakness,” Light said quietly. “But my faith in people is also the only proof you seem to require in order to believe I’m not Kira. Kira doesn’t have faith in people, that’s  _ why  _ he’s doing this.” Light’s lips pulled at either side in frustration.

“I don’t believe my father is Kira,” he continued. “But I understand why you’d consider the possibility, and I think… honestly I think my anger was more because...”

He swallowed and looked up, his face betraying his frustration at being unable to vocalize his feelings. “I think my anger was because I didn’t entirely disagree with you.”

L smiled slightly. “Your father isn’t Kira.”

Light’s eyes widened and he pushed down a mix of confusion and anger. “Wait, what? Were you testing me?”

“No,” L said simply. “But I’ve recently come to realize that Kira is a student in Japan. I wasn’t sure before - it was mostly just a theory - but I am sure now.”

Light smiled slightly, relief washing over him. “That’s comforting,” he said softly. “And uh… I’m sorry. For being mean to you.”

L shrugged sadly. “It’s nothing I didn’t deserve, dropping a bomb like that on you.”

“No,” Light insisted, “You didn’t deserve it. You’re a good friend.”

“I wouldn’t know. You’re my first friend.”

Light reached over the table and poked the small chunk of cake on L’s plate with his fork, eating it and smirking at the look of betrayal on L’s face. 

“You only really need one friend,” he said softly.

L pouted, whining, “I’m still focused on the cake you stole…”

“Just order more,” Light chuckled, reaching over to take a long sip from his coffee cup.

It only took a moment for L to raise his hand, and a waiter sped over to him. L wordlessly pointed to the small cake, mostly devoured by the two of them. The tall well-dressed man quickly left, returning only moments later with an entire cake.

“Thank you,” L muttered, poking it with his fork.

The waiter nodded. “Of course, sir.”

Light raised his eyebrows at L. “They seem much more attentive than normal.”

L chuckled and stabbed out a large piece of cake with his fork, dropping it on his plate. “I’d hope they are,” he mumbled, quickly devouring the cake in front of him, “Considering I’m paying them.”

Light’s jaw dropped, finding himself unable to speak for a moment. “You… oh my god, you actually did it? You actually bought this place?”

L nodded. “All I ever buy is sweets,” he remarked. “And I feel it’s not especially wasteful if I spend at least a tiny bit of my fortune, instead of allowing it to gather dust.”

“Wait,” Light said, “I knew you had money, but a  _ fortune?  _ Why have I been paying for our food whenever we go out!? _ ” _

“I never asked you to,” L replied. “You’re just especially generous.”

Light’s eyes narrowed. “I am  _ not  _ paying for this cake.”

“Neither am I,” L chuckled, gobbling down an incredibly large piece of cake as he quietly mumbled, “The old staff was sparse enough that I could keep them around, and they’re quite happy with their pay raise. And the new staff is paid just as well. And I’m the owner, so I won’t be charged for any of this.”

“So you’re a nice boss,” Light said. “Maybe I should work for you. Be your assistant or something,” he chuckled.

“Yeah, in between university and detective work. Oh, wait, you said you didn’t wanna do that anymore,” L recalled, sipping on his coffee. 

Light bit his lip. “I dropped out of university.”

L gently placed his coffee on the table, lifting his head and raising his brows. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I don’t want to go,” Light said softly, “and I won’t be entering any kind of law or scientific field, so I don’t see the value in university.”

L gave a noncommittal nod. “Fair enough. But what will you do then?”

Light shrugged. “Write, maybe. I have lots of ideas, but I feel like that serves as more of a hobby to me. I enjoy cooking quite a lot. Or I could just start up one of those odd antique and trinket shops.”

L raised his brows. “Cooking?”

“Yeah,” Light mumbled, swallowing the cake in his mouth before he continued, “I like baking plenty, but I also enjoy making meals. It’s like a puzzle to me, finding the best option and serving size to compliment the other stuff I make.”

“We could use another cook around here,” L said quietly, averting Light’s curious gaze.

Light burst into laughter, before he sipped smugly on his coffee and replied, “Once you try one of my cakes, you’ll never want another. Ooh, I haven’t made a red velvet cake in quite awhile…”

\---

It was getting harder and harder to deny how childish L was.

He insisted that the entire diner clear out so that Light could bake in the kitchen. He only got one objection from a staff member, and he resolved that by simply saying, “I’ll pay you all triple for the night.”

They all left very quickly after that, and L’s eyes lit up like a child’s each time Light grabbed a different ingredient.

Light had a large mixing bowl in his arms, stirring a thick brown batter with a large instrument; one that L had no idea what to call. In all fairness, he had never cooked for himself before, but he took great pleasure in watching others cook.

L was sitting awkwardly on top of one of the kitchen’s many countertops, poised on his toes and squeezing his knees together as he watched Light cook.

L gave a smug chuckle and quietly said, “Don’t you think it’s mixed enough?”

Light rolled his eyes and reached for a spoon, taking a small amount of the batter and flicking it at L. 

It landed on his nose with a plop, and the shock that registered on L’s face made Light burst into laughter.

“I’m sorry,” Light gasped in between his loud giggles, “but the look on your face was  _ so worth it.” _

L frowned at him, trying his best to wipe off the batter, only to further spread it around his nose.

“That was mean.”

Light placed the bowl on the counter and grabbed a cloth napkin, delicately cradling L’s face with one hand as he wiped away the chocolate batter with the other. 

They both blushed slightly, but neither averted their gaze as Light gently cleaned L’s face off.

He didn’t notice L reaching to the side and grabbing a single overly-frosted cupcake from the plate beside him.

“I’m sorry,” Light said softly, brushing away the last of the batter. “I didn’t mean to ups -”

Light broke off abruptly at the feeling of the cupcake smashing against his hair. He clapped his hand onto L’s wrist and firmly placed it back down on the counter, glaring up at L.

L had a slight smirk on his face, trying to suppress his laughter as Light groaned, “You messed up my hair…”

“Serves you right,” L replied.

Light crossed his arms. “Fine,” he said, “No cake for you.”

L’s eyes widened. “No! Wait, I’m sorry, please make the cake.”

Light didn’t speak, simply picking up the bowl and continuing to mix it, which earned a slight smile from L.

It wasn’t easy, but somehow Light managed to suppress his grin, muttering, “You’re a shithead, you know that?”

L chuckled lightly. “Compliment?” he asked.

Light turned to L, and the smile he had been pushing down betrayed him. “Compliment.”

\---

She stared at the TV, frowning before she slammed her hand on her desk.

“Damn,” she muttered, “I  _ knew  _ there was another notebook out there somewhere.”

A cop car pulled up to the Sakura TV station, and exactly forty seconds after the short policeman stepped out from the car, he collapsed in front of the building.

Her jaw dropped, and she turned to Ryuk. “Whoever is doing this, they have the Shinigami eyes.”

Ryuk nodded. “No doubt about it.”

Her anger and concerns were replaced with extreme interest as she continued watching the TV.

“Hmm,” she said quietly. “This could be useful for me. This… knock-off Kira is clearly trying to get my attention…”

She flipped open the notebook on her desk and thought for a moment, before she grinned deviously and began writing.

_ Ito Yamamoto, 6:30 PM _

_ Dies of a heart attack during his show, after turning directly to the camera and saying, “Kira, I have seen you on Sakura TV. I am the one you are looking for. You used the eyes tonight. Meet me at the place where you used them. April Thirtieth, at Five PM.” _

It was perfect. On the off chance that this copycat Kira saw the message as it aired, she would have almost no trouble meeting them, and even if they didn’t, they’d  _ certainly  _ hear about it on the news.

“I can’t imagine the police will be able to decipher this,” she laughed.

She flipped around when she heard a quiet knock on her door, quickly locking the notebook away in her desk drawer. 

“Sayu, can I come in?”

She looked over at Ryuk, and then her TV, and then finally the door as she replied, “Come in.”

Light opened the door, stepping into her room and frowning at her TV. 

“You’re watching as well?”

She nodded.

Light’s expression was a mix of annoyance and disappointment, but he didn’t press further, simply raising his brows as he said, “Mom’s at the hospital with Dad tonight, so I’m gonna make dinner.”

She frowned. “I thought you were with your friend tonight?”

Light shook his head. “No, he had to leave early,” he explained. “C’mon, help me figure out what to make.”

Sayu raised her eyebrows. “How come I never get to meet any of your friends?”

Light chuckled. “He’s not exactly an incredibly social person,” he said.

Light could have sworn he saw a flicker of something in her eyes, and he found himself taken aback by the momentary malice he thought that he caught in her gaze. 

But her typical warm smile returned, so he shook away his concern, blaming it on his imagination.

Sayu stood up. “Alright,” she replied.

He turned around, and as Sayu followed him into the hallway, her warm facade momentarily slipped once more. A cruel edge creeped into her gaze as her eyes bored into his back.

_ Just a bit longer,  _ she thought to herself.  _ I just have to wait a bit longer. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope u enjoyed!


	3. allies and kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and Matsuda talk
> 
> Sayu meets an important ally
> 
> L and Light finally address the tension in the room (sort of)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't stop writing this :/)

Light sat still on the park bench, tearing off tiny pieces of bread and dropping them to the ground. 

The birds gathering around him seemed to appreciate his homemade - well, diner made - bread, meticulously picking up the pieces with their beaks each time he dropped a chunk on the ground.

Light was overjoyed when L hired him to work at the diner, although it inspired a bit of an argument with his mother. 

Primarily because he didn’t tell her about L, so he was unable to alleviate her concerns about picking a job without stability over university. She conceded though, only after Light brought her home various samples of food that he cooked.

Needless to say, her enjoyment of the food overpowered her concerns, which was only compounded when she saw the excitement on his face.

Light never truly realized just how much he enjoyed cooking for people, and apparently animals as well.

He broke the last tiny chunk of bread in his hands into two, tossing them to the birds as he heard a quiet, “Feeding birds? L told me he was sure you weren’t Kira, but this is a bit much.”

It was Touta Matsuda, the youngest of the Kira Task Force.

Light gestured to the seat next to him. “I haven’t seen you since the Nakamura case,” he said quietly.

Matsuda chuckled, sitting down next to Light and looking down at the cracked concrete walkway. “I almost forgot about that,” he murmured. “You were incredible in that case.”

“Thank you,” Light replied. “That was the last case I’m gonna help with though.”

“Yeah, I heard you didn’t want to be a detective anymore. I can’t blame you either,” Matsuda said.

“Where’d you hear that?”

“From L. When he told me about the diner,” Matsuda said, “I must say, you do have a baker’s temperament. L was definitely right to hire you.”

Light raised his eyebrows. “He told you?”

“Of course,” Matsuda said simply. Light’s breath caught in his throat, and Matsuda must have heard it because he quickly continued, “I won’t tell anyone though.”

Light smiled to himself, but his content feeling was quickly replaced with anxiety. 

It took him a moment to bring himself to say it, and his voice cracked as he quietly said, “Do you really think it’s me?”

Matsuda didn’t even consider the question. “Absolutely not,” he replied. “And I can’t believe the others are considering it.”

“It’s understandable,” Light said softly.

There were only two pieces of ‘evidence’ against Light. It was during L’s surveillance of the homes of police that a note was found, written by one of Kira’s victims. It wasn’t any type of evidence that could be legally used, but the first letter of each sentence spelled out ‘Light.’

The odd coincidences that pointed to the people Raye Penber was tailing narrowed the suspect list down significantly, but seeing Light’s name spelled out by one of Kira’s victims while the Task Force watched him on camera…

Needless to say, Light wasn’t sure he could blame them for their suspicions, even if they were flimsy.

The second piece of evidence was significantly more damaging. It was during Penber’s investigation that he saw a sheet of paper fall from Light’s pocket onto a bus bench he had been sitting on just moments previous. 

It was a list of a few dozen criminals, every single one of which died by Kira’s hand.

Once again, not  _ necessarily _ evidence - especially considering Light didn’t write it - but it didn’t make Light look good. How it got there, he wasn’t sure, but Light assumed somebody simply slipped it into his pocket.

But Light’s attempts to rationalize their suspicions didn’t sit well with Matsuda.

“It’s not understandable,” Matsuda insisted. “You’re not Kira, and it’s obvious to anyone with eyes.” 

He paused for a moment before adding, “They treat me like an idiot - which isn’t entirely unearned - but thinking you’re Kira… that’s just stupid.”

“You aren’t an idiot,” Light said quietly. “L likes you, which he wouldn’t if you were an idiot.”

Matsuda seemed to consider that, nodding as if that was a satisfactory answer. “Thank you.”

Light chuckled. “He’s so odd, but so likeable. I don’t understand how he does it.”

“I think we’re the only ones that think so,” Matsuda said.

Light turned to him and shrugged slightly. “That makes me kinda sad,” he replied softly. “Maybe everyone else is just stupid.”

Matsuda raised his brows before bursting into laughter. “Maybe you’re right.”

Light’s phone buzzed, and he flipped it open to see a text from the diner’s manager. He stood up and extended his hand to Matsuda.

“I gotta go,” he said, shaking Matsuda’s hand and smiling softly, “Thanks for talking to me. I’ve been a bit overwhelmed lately, and this really helped.”

“Anytime,” Matsuda replied. 

Light was about five minutes away from the small diner when he passed her. His gaze fell onto her for just a moment, a tall blonde girl with an intricate black dress, and something made him feel… unnerved.

He couldn’t point to anything in particular, but for just a moment, there was some kind of… distortion in the air around her.

It disappeared after a moment, so Light quickly brushed it aside as a trick of the light and began jogging towards the diner.

\---

Misa made her way to Sakura TV’s station, blonde locks bouncing against her back and chest. She tightened her grip on the bag hanging around her waist, feeling the notebook inside it press against her hand.

“Rem,” Misa said, speaking under her breath to the large elegant phantom behind her. “You’re sure I won’t be able to see their lifespan?”

Rem nodded. “You will not be able to see the lifespan of any human being who currently owns a notebook,” she explained.

Misa gave a small nod.

It only took a few more minutes for her to teach the station. Her eyes flew from person to person, until she found  _ her. _

Sayu was planted on a bus bench, and Misa gasped when she saw her. Weeks of seeing the lifespan of every single human being she knew had taught her well, and it wasn’t at all difficult to find Sayu in the crowd.

She sat down on the bench and removed a tiny piece of paper from her dress pocket, brushing it gently against Sayu’s hand.

The younger girl gasped quietly, turning to Misa and then looking up at Ren with a smirk.

“You understood my message,” Sayu murmured.

“Of course,” Misa said simply. 

Sayu raised her eyebrows, pulling an even smaller shred of paper from her pocket and pressing it into Misa’s palm. The young blonde smiled up at Ryuk.

“He’s a lot cuter than mine,” she whispered.

“Cute?” Sayu laughed. “I’m not sure I’d consider an angel of death ‘cute’.”

Misa stood up and smiled down at her. “Fair enough. But we can talk about that later. C’mon, my place isn’t far from here. We have a lot to discuss.”

Sayu raised her brows, before she gave a small nod. “Alright.”

They walked side by side, speaking under their breaths to each other as the large Shinigami floated behind them.

It began to drizzle, and Sayu pulled her hood up over her head. Misa pulled a small expensive looking umbrella from her bag and pressed a small button on the side.

It opened like a flower, blooming above her as the pole shot upwards in her hand and extended into the air above her. 

The canopy now sat just above her head, the pole resting on her shoulder as she held the velvety handle at her waist. It was pitch black, the strong metal arms of the umbrella holding the thin canopy firm.

“That’s a pretty umbrella,” Sayu remarked.

Misa smiled to herself. “My mom got it for me when I was a child.”

Sayu fell silent for a moment, thinking hard. “When did you get the notebook?” she asked.

Misa smiled slightly. “Two months ago,” she answered, “But I didn’t use it until Rem showed up, which was…” she trailed off, before she nodded and continued, “Probably three weeks ago.”

“I used the notebook the day I found it,” Sayu said. “Some asshole who took a bunch of preschoolers hostage. I saw it live on the news.”

Misa chuckled. “I guess you were Kira the moment you found the book.”

Sayu’s eyes narrowed. “Can I ask you something?” Misa gave a small nod as Sayu tried to word her question properly. “Why do this?” Sayu finally asked.

“Because I believe in Kira’s goal. And besides, I’m indebted to you for life.”

Misa pointed to a small apartment complex and led Sayu up the stairs to a door at the far end of the upper balcony. She opened it and gestured for Sayu to follow her in, closing the door gently behind her.

Sayu pulled her backpack off and placed it on the floor.

“Two years ago,” Misa said sadly, “A man broke into our house. Some petty robber, but he ended up killing both of my parents. I was hiding in the closet.”

Sayu sat down on the large plush carpeting and looked around the room. It was decorated with hundreds of different gothic charms and stuffed animals, but the various antique voodoo puppets hanging from her ceiling caught Sayu’s attention.

“I sat there until dawn, shaking and muffling my sobs in case he came back,” Misa continued as her eyes began to water. “I was powerless…”

Misa raised her head and pushed down her tears. “He was acquitted at trial, and I was sure he would never be held accountable for killing my parents. But you… you punished him. You made him pay for what he had done.”

Sayu nodded. “I understand.”

Misa sat down in front of her and crossed her legs, looking anxiously at Sayu. “I want to help you achieve your goals, however I can. We can be friends, I can be your right hand, it doesn’t matter to me as long as I’m serving you.”

Sayu smiled slightly.

She was certainly frustrated with Misa when she had first discovered the existence of a copycat, but she couldn’t deny that Misa was both a very likable person, but could also be incredibly useful.

It took her a moment of consideration to decide where to go from there. Sayu was certainly sick of working alone, and to her own surprise, she found herself  _ wanting  _ the companionship.

Misa  _ knew  _ her identity, unlike all of Sayu’s other ‘friends.” But it was more than that. Misa  _ supported  _ Sayu and her goals.

Being Kira was becoming incredibly lonely, and she wasn’t going to turn down her only chance at an honest friendship. 

“You’re a friend,” Sayu finally said. “But I do have one request.”

“Anything, anything at all,” Misa replied, smiling expectantly at Sayu.

Sayu pulled out her notebook. “The police can  _ never  _ learn of the notebook’s existence. Keep punishing criminals when you have time, but don’t make anymore public moves unless I tell you to.”

“Of course,” Misa assured her. “I held off on sending anything else after I saw your message. But we have to get the police off our backs somehow.”

Sayu smirked. “Oh, don’t worry, I have a plan for that.”

\---

Light laid lazily in the booth after the last of the wait staff left, waiting for L to arrive. The table was topped with various sweets and slices of different cakes, many of which were topped with strawberries and different intricate designs.

The bell on the door rang quietly as L walked into the diner, awkwardly positioning himself in his seat as usual.

“I’m assuming you made all of this,” he remarked quietly.

Light sat up slowly, slumping against the back of the booth. “Yeah, the other cook decided to let me handle all the baked goods. That man couldn’t ice a cupcake if his life depended on it.”

L chuckled. “You certainly have a talent,” he said, picking up a cupcake and biting into it. 

“It’s calming,” Light explained, smiling to himself. “I don’t get stressed or annoyed like I did with school.”

L delicately placed the cupcake paper on his plate. “That’s how I feel when I spend time with you,” he admitted quietly. “You’re the only person that  _ doesn’t  _ make me uncomfortable.”

Light bit his lip. “I’m not sure I feel that way.”

L’s face dropped. “Oh…”

“No, I just mean… Damnit -” Light murmured, trying to collect his thoughts. “I… I do enjoy spending time with you. A lot. But I’ll admit that… I get a bit nervous.”

L raised his eyebrows. “Because I should technically be investigating you?”

Light shook his head, looking down at the small coffee mug in front of him. “No, that’s not… that’s not why.”

L shifted in the booth, sliding over and planting himself next to Light. He wasn’t even a foot away from him as he quietly asked, “Then why?”

Light could feel the blush creeping over his face as his cheeks grew warmer. 

Light lifted his head, looking up at the awkwardly positioned boy next to him. L’s confusion cleared with recognition, and he blushed, his face flooding a dark pink.

Hesitantly, after quite a lot of internal debate, L moved closer and reached over the table and gently placed his hand over Light’s.

“Is this… okay with you?” he asked quietly.

Light nodded, and L shifted even closer to him, moving his legs down to sit in a regular position. 

He was obviously a bit new to sitting that way, pursing his lips before he turned his attention back to Light.

Neither of them were even aware that they were moving closer, until their faces were a mere inch away and Light whispered, “Is this okay?”

“Yes.”

Light’s composure broke and he leaned forward, gently pressing his lips against L’s and reaching up to cradle his face. 

L didn’t react for a moment, before Light pulled away and L gave a quiet gasp, freezing up as his eyes widened.

Light raised his brows, waiting for any kind of reaction, and after a moment of stillness he waved his hand in front of L’s face.

L didn’t blink.

Light immediately began panicking, and he quickly stammered, “I’m sorry I -”

He broke off abruptly when L leaned in again, holding his face and pausing for just a moment before pulling him back into a kiss. 

It was a bit awkward, L struggling to recreate the movement of Light’s lips and the different fluctuations of pressure against his mouth, but he eventually got the hang of it.

He smiled against Light’s lips, sucking ever so lightly on his lower lip before they broke apart again.

They sat in silence for a moment, before they both burst into laughter.

“I’ve never done that,” L said quietly as he caught his breath. 

Light giggled to himself, trying his hardest to maintain eye contact with L. “I can tell,” he teased lightly. “I was kinda afraid you were gonna stroke out or something.”

L bit his lip and averted Light’s fond gaze. “I’ve never… felt this way before. It’s sort of a lot to process.”

Light gently grasped his hand, interlocking L’s long thin fingers in his and smiling at the taller boy. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said softly.

L stared awkwardly at him, shifting uncomfortably before he muttered, “Just do it again please.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awkward L is the best L


	4. the blonde

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L and Light have a talk
> 
> Sayu comes under suspicion
> 
> Misa is implicated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy

The door shut quietly behind L. “You aren’t Kira.”

Light chuckled, leaning back against his booth and grabbing L’s hand, pulling him into the space next to him with a smirk. “I would be a bit concerned if you didn’t think so,” he replied, pressing a single gentle kiss against L’s jaw.

L smiled at the affection, but his voice was deadpan when he said, “We have evidence.”

Light shot up, staring at L in shock. “What?”

L pulled a single small plastic ziplock from his pocket. “This is one of about twenty hairs and crumb traces we found on the tape used to seal the envelopes sent to Sakura TV. Only two of the hairs still had the root intact, but we know they’re all from the same person. According to the nDNA we examined from the root, it’s from a female, as it happens.”

Light had to squint to identify the contents of the bag as a single long blonde hair. “Seems too good to be true,” he murmured. “Kira is calculated, crafty. I can’t imagine they’d overlook something so damning… Unless…”

L’s eyes narrowed. “Unless?” he asked expectantly.

Light grabbed the bag and looked closely at it. “The way Kira behaved on Sakura TV made me suspect something like this but… No, I’m sure.” He handed the bag back to L. 

“There’s a second Kira, no, more like a copycat.”

L grinned, a note of pride in his expression. “Thank you!” he exclaimed. “The Task Force had reached the same conclusion, but hearing you confirm it as well makes me even more sure.” L leaned over and kissed him, reaching up to stroke Light’s face, only for Light to hesitate and pull away with a frown. 

L looked at him, his expression a mix of confusion and a childish pout. “What’s wrong?”

Light didn’t respond, simply furrowing his brows. “Blonde… it’s blonde…”

The thought was absurd, and the image that popped into his head was so far removed from the Kira case, but he couldn’t shake the odd feeling he had when recalling the short blonde in the black dress he had seen only days previous.

As well as the distortion in the air around her, that he had tried so hard to convince himself was a trick of the light.

“What?” L asked. “What’s wrong?”

Light’s eyes narrowed and he shook his head. “Nothing, I just saw this… strange girl the other day. The hair just reminded me of her, that’s all.”

L chuckled, before his eyes narrowed. “You stopped kissing me for that?” he teased. “You get distracted so easily.”

Light smirked. “I don’t think you’ll have any trouble getting my attention back.”

L leaned into Light’s touch, holding him as he brought their lips together. It wasn’t like their other kisses, gentle and reserved, it was intense and hungry and even a bit rough. They sucked and nipped at their lips, moving and slipping their tongues in and out of each other’s mouths, fighting for dominance.

It was Light that lost though, whimpering as L pushed his tongue deeper in Light’s mouth, earning a satisfied  _ hum  _ from L. He shifted over, sitting next to Light and pulling him into his lap, before breaking the kiss.

He ran his hand through Light’s hair, tossling it before nodding in approval. “You look cute like this,” he remarked.

Light blushed and bit his lip. “I never style my hair this way.”

“No, I mean, the way you are right now,” L said, grinning up at him. “You’re all sweet and vulnerable. You’ve never let someone else have control before, have you?”

Light bit the inside of his cheek and smiled sheepishly. “No, but I’ve also never… been with somebody. In any capacity. Both feel… nice though.”

“Good,” L replied, trailing kisses up Light’s jaw. “I want you to feel nice, especially with me.”

Light grinned, smashing their lips back together. He relaxed against L, settling his weight on his thighs and smiling as they kissed. 

L squeezed one of Light’s thighs, holding his waist firm as he pushed forward against Light. He whimpered and arched his back at L’s touch, moving his face and holding L’s neck as they made out. 

Neither of them failed to notice the prominent bulge in Light’s pants, or the firm press of L’s erection against Light’s thigh, but they ignored it in favor of continuing to suck and nip at each other’s lips.

The bell on the door rang and they both jumped, earning a groan from Light when his back hit the table.

He saw Sayu first, and for just a moment he thought he saw annoyance in her face before she lit up with amusement, giggling as a short blonde girl walked in behind her. The bag on her waist bounced against the long lacy black fabric of her skirt, and her eyes narrowed as they passed over Light, and then L.

Light didn’t speak as he shifted to sit next to L, but neither of them missed the significant squeeze on L’s wrist. 

“So sorry,” Sayu chuckled. “I didn’t realize the place was closed, me and Misa were just looking for a place to pick up some snacks.”

The blonde - Misa, her name was - looked to L, before returning her attention to Light. “You’re Sayu’s brother? She mentions you alot, but you’re cuter than I thought you’d be.”

Misa grinned at them, but Light’s focus was right behind them both.

Because for just a moment, almost in unison, the air behind them held the same odd distortion that Light had seen only days ago behind Misa, the light above them bending and shimmering ever so slightly.

And the responding squeeze on Light’s hand by L made him positive that he  _ wasn’t  _ just imagining things.

“Uh, sorry, we closed a little while ago,” Light said sheepishly, running his hand through his hair. He stood, stopping just in front of Sayu and quietly murmured, “And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention… you know.”

Sayu nodded, before promptly turning and walking out. “C’mon Misa, I know an okay noodle stand not far away.”

Light locked the door and waited until he saw them cross the street through the window, flipping around to L with wide eyes. “That’s the girl,” he insisted. “That’s Kira, that’s the girl I saw. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s _her, I_ _know it.”_

That wasn’t L’s focus however. “You saw it too.”

It was less of a question and more of a statement, but Light knew exactly what he meant.

“Yeah, I did,” Light replied. “That’s why she popped into my head earlier, because of the weird distortion in the air above her. I thought I was just crazy, but then I saw it just now, and if you did…”

“It’s certainly not proof,” L said, absentmindedly twiddling with his fingers and pulling his knees up to his chest. “But I know that blonde girl. Misa Amane, she’s a model. It shouldn’t be hard to prove, but…”

Light frowned. “How does Sayu know her though? I don’t like the idea of her being friends with Kira,” he said quietly, a note of concern in his voice.

But Light also wasn’t stupid. He knew that he was lying to himself, and that his denial of Sayu’s potential involvement wouldn’t be ignored by L, so he was unsurprised by L’s reply. L’s eyes narrowed. “You aren’t gonna like what I have to say about that.” 

“Just say it.”

L frowned. “Kira has - or at least, had - access to the police’s information, and given your sister’s position as both a student and somebody with access to your father’s network and  _ you,  _ giving her the chance to potentially attempt a frame…”

Light sighed. “God dammit,” he groaned, sitting down next to L. “I can’t even object to your theory, because it’s solid. And if that hair,” he gestured to L’s pocket, “matches Misa’s…”

“Then we know that not only is Misa the second Kira, but also Sayu is at the very least friends with her, meaning that they have the potential to work together,” L concluded.

Light’s expression turned dark. “Sayu has been… different the past few months,” he said, his voice betraying the sadness he wanted so badly to hide. “I thought it might be due to Father working so much because of this case, but now that I think of it... she’s been acting odd since a week or two before that…”

“Which is exactly when the Kira murders began.”

Light pushed down the ache in his chest, and tried to blink away the tears pooling in his eyes.

It all made sense. Why it was  _ Light  _ that was under suspicion, the list in his pocket he never wrote, his name on the note one of the victims left, Sayu’s behavior, how Kira got information from the police, and even the disturbing glances he was so sure he was catching from his sister.

Light couldn’t separate his emotions from the reality he was living in, and the knowledge that his sister was not only more than willing to frame him, but capable and happy to commit mass murder, threatened to crush him.

“Light?” L said. His voice was the softest Light had ever heard it, and that gave his heart just another pang. “Light, are you gonna be alright?”

Light’s composure broke and he buried his face into L’s shirt, wrapping his arms around L and gripping the soft fabric of his shirt as he began sobbing against L’s chest.

L was horrible with emotions, handling them, responding to them, even addressing his own, so he made no attempts to talk sense into Light. He didn’t hesitate before he wrapped his arms around Light and held him, stroking his back.

“I don’t know what to say,” L murmured, holding Light close. “So I won’t bother. But I’m here for you, and I’m not going anywhere. I promise. I’m here.”

Light sobbed until he didn’t have any tears left, pulling away and swallowing when he finally came back to reality. L didn’t speak, simply picking up a cloth napkin and gently brushing it over Light’s cheeks, drying his tears.

“You’re strong,” L said quietly, giving him a single soft kiss on the cheek. “You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. You’ll be okay.”

\---

“My brother is such a fool,” Sayu muttered, relaxing on a park bench and motioning for Misa to join her. “The genius hasn’t even  _ considered _ that I could be Kira, and I thought he was the smart one in the family.”

Misa chuckled. “He was good looking though, and his,” she coughed quietly, “ _ friend  _ was kinda cute in that awkward weird way.”

“Ew,” Sayu groaned, before pulling her notebook from her bag and frowning at it. Framing Light now that Misa was involved would be difficult, and probably only serve to implicate them even more.

“How are we gonna frame your brother,” Misa began, “without letting anybody know about the notebook?”

Sayu raised her brows. “I’m beginning to fear that at this point, we may end up having no choice but to let him off the hook. I’m gonna need to have you to take over punishing criminals for me. Ryuk?”

Ryuk bounced through the air, coming to a stop in front of her and floating upside down. “What’s up kid?”

“Hypothetically,” she began, “If I were to give the notebook to Misa, or to anyone, to be used by them, would I still own it until I forfeit?”

Ryuk nodded. “Until the moment that you die, or you tell me you’re forfeiting ownership, it will continue to be yours, no matter who  _ physically  _ has it in their possession.”

Sayu handed the notebook to Misa, before standing and staring her down. “You know what to do.”

**Author's Note:**

> Leave your thoughts below!


End file.
